According to ESPN, Kelly will be a studio analyst for the sports network, mainly on ESPN2 for "college football pregames, halftimes and studio wraps each Saturday," according to a press release sent out by the media company. Kelly "will also appear on SportsCenter on Fridays and Sundays offering insight to college and NFL games."
"Over the last 30 years, I have experienced football from one perspective -- as a coach," Kelly said. "Working in television will allow me to see the game from a different angle; simultaneously, I'll provide viewers an insight to the mindset of a coach and team while offering alternative views of various situations."
Much like Jay Cutler is being looked at as the dark-horse candidate for new player analyst of the year over the far more polished Tony Romo, there could be a case made that Kelly will be better on television than the affable, bombastic Rex Ryan. Ryan also signed with ESPN this offseason after getting fired by the Buffalo Bills.
As the Philadelphia Inquirer's Eagles beat writer Zach Berman said, there are qualities in the groundbreaking Oregon coach that might translate well to the small screen.
Kelly's disgust for the common workings and assumptions made by the mass media could make him a strong voice in a world of analysts begging for fresh perspectives. His willingness to cut through the niceties often displayed by coaches analyzing other coaches, though, will be the ultimate test of his effectiveness.
Kelly put the NFL on notice during his first two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles by deploying a version of his warp-speed college offense. Is there a new wrinkle he could bring to television as well?
